The furniture industry utilizes lockable gas springs for the manufacture of numerous furniture pieces including desk chairs, arm chairs, beds and stands. The lockable gas spring makes it possible to infinitely adjust the piece of furniture to suit each individual's personal requirement. The lockable gas spring is usually mounted between a fixed point and a movable point which allows for the adjustment of the furniture to a desired position and the associated locking of the gas spring to maintain this desired position.
A variety of mechanisms have been developed to operate the lockable gas valve in order to allow for the adjustment of the piece of furniture. The prior art mechanisms include rods, levers, linkages and handles which extend from the lockable gas spring to an area on the piece of furniture which is convenient for the individual who wishes to make an adjustment in the height, position, counter balance or other adjustment of the device. The disadvantage to these prior art systems of rods, levers, linkages and handles is the space they require and the complexity of the system as the control device is routed through the piece of furniture to reach its position of convenience for the individual user.
Accordingly, what is needed is a compact mechanism that will assemble directly to a locking gas spring and which will provide mechanical advantage, space savings, lighter weight while at the same time permitting flexible and remote location to allow for easier user function.
The present invention provides the art with a rotary operating mechanism which is assembled directly to a locking gas spring. The rotary mechanism will transfer rotary motion to a longitudinal motion to actuate the internal valve stem of the locking gas spring permitting the adjustment to the length of the locking gas spring. The rotary mechanism is actuated by a flexible cable control assembly which permits the remote placement of any one type of the various standard or custom cable control actuators in a user friendly location.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the subsequent detailed description, appended claims and drawings.